This World Food Day, FoodForward SA celebrated the power of collaboration! Across Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Durban, nearly 300 volunteers, donors, and partners came together on 16 October to pack 1,500 boxes of nutritious food for distribution to organisations reaching over 935,000 people daily.
Teams from Kellavona, SPAR, Quantum Foods, Mars Foods, Rhodes Food Group, Marriott International, Compendium Insurance Brokers, Oceana Group, TFG, CHEP, Engen, and RGA America worked side by side, demonstrating the real impact that occurs when corporates, retailers, manufacturers, logistics partners, and NGOs unite.
Adding even more support, Capitec, Bloomberg Philanthropy, and Ardagh Glass Packing hosted off-site packing events, creating 350 additional boxes – a reminder that you can help advance our mission from anywhere.
A Day of Action and Connection
The atmosphere across all three cities was full of energy, camaraderie, and purpose. Volunteers packed boxes, shared informal meals made from surplus ingredients, and connected with organisations sharing inspiring stories of hope and resilience.
“World Food Day reminds us that hunger is a challenge no single organisation can solve alone,” said Andy Du Plessis, MD of FoodForward SA. “Today’s events show what’s possible when we work hand in hand. Together, we are providing nutritious food to those who need it most and building a more food-secure future for all South Africans.”
The Power of Collective Action
While the day was uplifting, it also highlighted the scale of the challenge ahead. By 2030, an estimated 582 million people globally will face chronic undernourishment, with more than half in Africa. In South Africa, one in five households faces hunger, even as roughly a third of food produced goes to waste.
Events like these are more than a one-day effort; they are part of FoodForward SA’s ongoing mission to transform the food system through collaboration, innovation, and compassion. Every box packed and every partnership formed brings us closer to a South Africa where no one goes hungry.
Thank You & Get Involved
To everyone who packed, donated, and supported our efforts, thank you. Your collective action fuels our mission and builds a better food future, one box at a time.
You can help too! Volunteer, host an off-site packing event, or support our food recovery work – every effort counts.
